“Something wrong?” Nina asked.

“No-just an e-mail from my father, something I wasn’t expecting. Nothing to worry about, though-in fact, it’s good news. But it’s not important right now, so…” She leaned forward, smiling for the first time since Nina had met her and revealing flawless white teeth. “I thought I should apologize to you, Dr. Wilde.”

“For what?”

“I haven’t been the best hostess. I’ve been preoccupied, with my work for the foundation, with this expedition… I’m sorry if I’ve come across as cold and distant.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” Nina assured her. “You’re very busy, I’m sure you’ve got a lot of things all going on at once.”

“Not anymore. From now on, I’m devoting all of my attention to you and this mission. I want it to be a success-and I also want to make sure that you stay safe.”

“Thanks,” said Nina, smiling back. Then Kari glanced at Chase.

“Mr. Chase,” she said, fixing him with a disapproving look, “are you trying to look down my top?”

Nina stifled a giggle, while Castile covered his own amusement by taking a hurried bite from his apple. Chase had undeniably been caught in the act, but rather than try to deny it, he simply sat back and raised an eyebrow. “If I can do it, then so can any Iranian blokes who see you, and they’re a bit funny about women in sexy clothes. We don’t want to draw any more attention than we have to. I was just thinking it’s probably worth you changing into something a bit more frumpy before we land.”

Kari was wearing a tight white top and leather jeans similar to the ones she’d had on at Ravnsfjord. “You have a point. Fortunately, I came prepared.”

“The doc here’s okay, though. Just needs a coat.”

Nina glared at him. “Are you saying I look frumpy, Mr. Chase?” She would have used the word “modest” or “practical” to describe her own outfit of jeans, sweatshirt and sturdy boots.

“You look fine,” Kari grinned, standing. “If you need anything, just ask me.” She went into the rear compartment.

Castile finished his apple. “Ah, England,” he announced. “A country of the charming, the sophisticated, the romantic. And there’s also Edward Chase.”

“Ah, sod off, Hugo.”

Castile flicked his apple core at him, which Chase effortlessly caught, his hand snapping up like a striking snake.

“Is he always like this?” Nina asked Castile.

“I’m afraid so.”

“And the ladies love it that way,” said Chase, dropping the apple core into his empty water glass. Castile tutted and rolled his eyes. Chase checked his watch, then stretched out in his seat.

“Getting comfortable?” Nina asked.

“Just making the most of it,” he replied. “We’ll be landing in half an hour. And I bet you the ride’s not going to be nearly this smooth once we’re on the ground.”

Chase was certainly right about that, Nina thought. The Land Rover taking them to their meeting with Failed Ajar had seen better days, and the road beneath it apparently had never seen a good day in its entire life.

The Gulfstream landed at the airport serving the Iranian city of Esfah?n, in the Zagros mountains on the country’s western side. Though the group had no trouble getting through customs, even when Nina presented her American passport-it turned out that the Frost Foundation had provided considerable aid following the devastating earthquake of 2003, earning the gratitude of the Iranian government-they still received plenty of suspicious looks. All of the women Nina saw as they drove out of Esfah?n wore head scarves at the least, and a fair percentage were veiled. While Iran was not as strict as its Islamic neighbors like Saudi Arabia in how its women were forced to dress, overgarments that concealed the female form were mandatory, even for visitors.

Kari’s preparedness had extended to having something suitable for Nina to wear, a pale brown coat that came down to her knees. Though Nina instinctively resented the presence of any system that dictated what she could or couldn’t wear in public, at least she didn’t have to bury herself inside a burka. However, she couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy at the long coat Kari had chosen for herself. While it no doubt adhered to the letter of Iranian law, if anything the flowing, narrow-waisted white garment made her even more striking a figure.

Although she had worn a head scarf at the airport, as soon as the Land Rover started moving Kari pulled it off. Nina did the same-once the vehicle was safely clear of the city.

Driving the Land Rover was a man whom Chase introduced as “an old mate of mine.” A good decade older than either Chase or Castile, Hafez Marradejan was a stocky, dark-skinned man with a graying beard that stretched to an impressive point four inches beyond the tip of his chin. He was also a chain-smoker, to Nina’s dismay-all the more so when she learned they had at least an hour’s drive ahead.

“So,” said Hafez-although Nina spoke a little Arabic, he opted to talk in English-“you’re back in work, eh, Eddie?”

“Yep,” Chase answered. He was in the front passenger seat, Nina sandwiched between Kari and Castile in the back. “Same business, new bosses.” He tipped his head back in Kari’s direction.

“Ah! I’d say welcome to Iran, Miss Frost, but current government? Pah! Doesn’t deserve your respect.” Hafez kept looking back at Kari as he spoke, making Nina wince every time he took his eyes off the worryingly busy road. “Finally get government that at least tries to be progressive, and then what happens? They get voted out of office at next election! Democracy, eh? No use if people are idiots!” He made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a hacking cough. “Still, good to see you again, Eddie.”

“So you have been to Iran before?” Nina asked.

“No, nope, never,” Chase said quickly. Castile adopted an innocent look, gazing out of the window.

Hafez laughed his coughing laugh again. “Westerners and their secrets! What happened was-”

“Absolutely nothing,” cut in Chase. “NATO special forces have never run operations in Iran. Ever.” He glared at Hafez, who just chuckled and drew in another lungful of smoke.

“Eh, then I must have been helping ghosts. By the way, one of the boxes you never brought with you is in the back, like you asked.”

Castile reached over the rear seats and lifted up a dirty metal container the size of a large shoe box. “Buried treasure!” he proclaimed, opening it and taking out a black automatic pistol, some ammunition clips and, to Nina’s horror, a hand grenade. “Here, hold this.”

Nina squeaked as he casually dropped the grenade into her hand. Castile quickly and expertly checked the gun, loaded it, then slipped it into his jacket.

Chase glanced at Nina, who was still staring, petrified, at the grenade. “Nothing to panic about,” he said, taking it from her. “It won’t explode unless you pull out the pin. Like this.”

He pulled out the pin. Nina shrieked.

“This one’s got a five-second fuse,” Chase noted. “But don’t worry, it can’t go off unless you release the spoon here, as well.” He slid the pin back into place, then took his thumb off the curved metal clip protruding from one side of the grenade. “See?” Castile and Hafez chuckled.

“That wasn’t funny!” cried Nina.

“Gentlemen,” Kari added, “I’d prefer it if you didn’t terrorize the most important member of our expedition.” The words were mild, but there was no mistaking the authority in her voice.

“Sorry, boss,” said Chase. He handed the grenade back to Castile, who returned it to the box. “Just thought it’d be a way to pass the time.”

Nina made a face. “Next time, bring an iPod!”